Tamworth woman bags Gillard Volunteer Award

A Tamworth woman known more widely by her nickname “Bags” has been recognised for her volunteer work with children’s cancer charity Camp Quality.

A Tamworth woman known more widely by her nickname “Bags” has been recognised for her volunteer work with children’s cancer charity Camp Quality.

BAGS A BEAUTY: Tamworth woman Lyn Bagster has been named a national charity volunteer of the year for her wonderful work with child cancer victims.

Lyn Bagster has been awarded Camp Quality’s national volunteer award to mark National Volunteers Week this week for her tireless work helping to create a better life for kids living with cancer.

The organisation announced her Gillard Volunteer Award late yesterday and said Lyn, 52, has volunteered with Camp Quality for 16 years and is now a Camp Leader, where she plans specialised activities and co-ordinates other volunteers at Camp Quality’s resilience-building camps for children and their families living with cancer across the region.

“In her 16 years of voluntary service, she hasn’t missed a single camp or event in her region,” a spokesman said.

Volunteer adviser Tegan Davies said Camp Quality received no government funding and relied on volunteers.

“Lyn – or “Bags” as we all call her on camp – exudes fun, laughter and positivity in everything she does,” Ms Davies said.

“It’s very contagious – which is important, after the intense trauma many of our families have been through. She has some of the most elaborate costumes for camp – no matter how tricky the request of the costume by the child is, she matches it.

Over 16 years of voluntary service, just about every Northern NSW family who has a child living with cancer has been inspired by Bags. We’re proud to call her Camp Quality national volunteer of the year 2014.”

The charity has over 2500 volunteers nationwide who donated over 300,000 hours to Camp Quality last year.